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(NmModeL) R. G. WOOD.

. Y CARRIAGE COUPLING. No. 282,142., Patented July 3-1, 1883i hi]. m.

FIG.1.

l (D L! -l l V a ga aw UNITED STAT-Es PATENT Grricn.

RICHARD. e. WOOD,VOF CINCINNATI, OHIO, ASSIGNOR or, ONE-HALF To ALBERT W. OSLER, on SAME PLACE.

CARRIAGE-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 282,142, dated July 31, 1883.

To all whom. it may concern:

Be it known that I, RICHARD G. WVooD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Gincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Oarriage-0ouplin gs, of which the following is a specification. p

The first part of my invention comprises a novel construction of pivot-disk and encir cling frame, housing, or ring, which devices constitute asixthwvheel, that enables a car riage head-block to be coupled to the front axle without perforating the latter or the bed to which it is applied, the details of the combination being hereinafter more fully described, and pointed out in the claims.

The second part of my invention comprises a novel construction of socket-plate that supports the T-head of the perch-brace and receives the king-bolt of the coupling, as hereinafter more fully described, and pointed out in the claims. s In the annexed drawings, Figure 1 isa fron elevation of an axle and head-block coupled together with my improved sixth-wheel, the fifth-wheel being sectioned at its points of at tachment. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the coupling, taken in theplane of the perch.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged plan of the pivot-disk and ring or sixthwheel detached from the axle. Fig. 4. is a vertical section of saiddisk and ring separated from each other. Figs. 5 and 6 are respectively longitudinal and transverse sections of a modification of my invention. Fig. 7 is a plan showing the upper side of the socket-plate.' Fig. 8 is a transverse section of the same.

The axle A and its bed B are united at their mid-length by a clip, 0, whose screwthreaded shanksc 0 pass, respectively, through perforations X X of lugs cl d, projecting upwardly from a pivotdisk, D, that is clamped tightly against the under side of the axle by means of customary nuts engaged with said shanks. This disk has an annular rim, D, supporting a ring frame or housing, E, split .in the rear at e, and provided with two ears,

6 e, traversed with a bolt, f, that unites said ring to a brace, F, of any suitable shape. This disk and its inclosing ring or. housing I designate as the sixth-wheel of a vehicle.

Application filed October 14, 1882. (X0 model.)

with said plate is clamped tightly against the T- head J, formed at the front end of abrace, j, which latter is securely bolted to the under side of the perch or reach K. This provision of socket-plate H h obviates the necessity of making a recess in the under side of head- ]block'L to admit the collar g of king-bolt G.

This perch is mortised into the head-block L at It.

N are bolts that unite the T- head J andthe upper half, 0, of the fifth-wheel to the headblock L, the lower half, 0, of said wheel being secured to the aXleA and its bed B by clips P. The front portion of the wheel 0 is united by a customary bow, 0, of which one half is seen in Fig. 2.

Resting uponthe head-block L, and secured thereto bythe clips .I and nut g of the kingbolt, are theleaves R, of any suitable form of .spring. Interposed betweenthis nut and lSPl'lDg' is the perforated end of a brace, S,

whose rear extremity is secured to the perch K by one of the bolts, 8, that holds the brace s is the other bolt for the F in position. brace F.

Interposed between the attached ends of brace F and perch K, and secured with said bolts 8 s, is a bar having a downward bend, that serves as akeeper or hearing for the central portion of the fifth-wheel, as seen in Fig. 2; hen my coupling is fitted together, the king-bolt G g traverses the socket-plate H h, T-head J, head-block L, springs It, and brace S. which various members are bound together by the nut g, screwed onto the upper end of said king-bolt. Furthermore, the clip 0 c 0 being engaged with the sixth-wheel D D d d X X causes the king-boltto be verticallyin line with the center of motion of the axle A B. Consequently said axle is free to turn in either direction on account of the pivot-disk D rotating horizontally within its ring frame or housing E, which freedom of motion, being obtained Without perforating the axle, renders the construction of the vehicle perfectly secure, and does not add materially to the cost of manufacture. If at any time the sixth-' Therefore the socket of the king-bolt will be immovably secured in its proper centralvpo-i rear side of the bed, and perforated lugsw-w,

. bed B, and be secured to the latterwith screws wheel D should wear enough to rattle, thenut or bolt f can be tightened up, so as to reduce the width of the parting e, and thus compensate for such wear and tear. In order to allow for this springing of the frame E, elastic washers may be interposed between the ears 6 e and that end of the brace F through which passes the bolt f, as seen in Fig. 3. Furthermore, this j oint f allows sufficient flexibility of motion to compensate for any springing of the perch K and its attachments. The plate H h not only serves asa socket for. the collar of the king-bolt G, but its lugs h h h h bear against the T-head J in such a manner as to prevent said plate shifting either toward the front or rear side of the head-block L.

sition, no matter how ro'ughlythe Vehicle may be used. In the modification of my invention seen in Figs. 5 andfi the clip ,0 is dispensed with anda transom-plate, U, is se-. cured to the upper side of the axle-bed B, said plate having a socket, u,to admit the king-bolt G, which latter has, a non-circular head, V, seated in an excavation made in said axle-bed. This plate has lips or strengthem ing-flanges W W, to bear against the front and for the reception of bolts to take the place of shanks c c in securing the sixth-wheel D to the axle, to which is fastened said plate U. It

will be seen that this modification, like the, clip G70 0, allowsfree turning of the axlewithout making a hole through the latter to receive a central pivot or bolt.

In another modification the ring E may be made in two distinct pieces united at front and rear, and in some cases the vertically-projeca ing lugs may. be omitted both;- from the pivot disk D and socket-plate H, Again, a plate, Y, may be interposed between the clip 0 andaxleor other devices, said plate being furnished with upwardly-projecting ribs 3 y, to assist in preventing the clip shifting longitudinally of the axle. Finally, an inferior modification, of the invention may consist of a completering, E, surrounding the sixth-wheel D, theadjust ing devices 6 e e f beingv omitted, and the wear of said members D E being compensated for by washers or equivalent devices.

purpose specified.v

I claim as my invention 1. The sixth-wheel D D, perforated at X X to admit clips or bolts, and fitted within a ring-frame, E, which latter has a brace connection with the perch, for the purpose described.

either to the perch K or to some attachment of the same, for the purpose specified;

4, v The plate H, having a central socket, h,

andifour perforated lugs, h,'for the purpose SQlI Q th-n V 5 The combination, in a carriage-coupling,

T-head J, and head-block L, said T -headbe- ;ing interposed between the plate 11 hhand head-block; L, and the bol-t' G' being-passed through said'socketplate, T -head, and head block, as herei-n described.

6, A carriage-coupling consisting of the axle-A- B, clip G o 0, perforated sixth-wheel D D (Z dww, split ring frame E e e e, f, brace F, king-bolt-G g g, socket-plate H 7th, clips- I, head b lock L, and T-head J as and Li'orthe 5 7. A-sixth wheel consisting of the disk, D,

havinga marginal flange, D, that supportsthe 1*ingE, wh-ich-,latter is split ate and terminates with ears e e,'for the purpose specified,

said disk being perforated atX X to admit 9o the-clip-shankse c, and its upperor central surface, upon which the front axle rests, being substantially flush with the top of said-surrounding ring E, asherein described. I

8. The plate Y, interposed betweenelip O 5 and-axle-bed B, and provided with; ribsyy, as hereindescribed;

ln testimony whereof I affix my signature in presenee of tvvo witnesses,-

RICHARD G. WOOD.

Witnesses:

JAMES ,LAYMAN, SAML, S. CARPENTER, I 

